Rat guard for naval ships



Filed May 20, 1939 INVENTOR. 55M FHssMH/v 7:443 ATTORNEY.

Patented Aug. 6 1940 1 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1 Claim.

' This invention relates to a flat one-piece rat guard device for use onto hawsers or cables to prevent rats boarding naval ships.

The salient feature of the invention is the unique method of securing the diametrical transversed edges of the split or semi-circular metallic sheet members together in a flat, smooth and flush-like finish on the underside from which the rat will try to pass the disk guard which gives the effect of a one-piece disk-guard, thereby making it difficult for the rat to get any footing.

Another salient feature of the invention is a rectangular plate or sheet metal strip member beaded over to provide a channel portion on each side of the central semi-opening and the adjacent cleats of the hinged braces, the rectangular plate members and the transversed edges when interlocked together reinforce the dia metrically transversed edges, the flat semi-circular metallic sheet members, together with the hinged braces lashed to the hawser at about a right angle to the plate and cleat members, provide a durable structural form of a rat guard.

The cleatsm provide reinforcement and firm-- ness to that portion where secured to on the flat semi-circular metallic sheet members.

Another salient feature of the invention, is the adaptability of adjusting the semi-circular metallic sheet members onto smaller or larger hawsers or cables other than the standard sizes.

Another salient feature of the invention, is the members which open sufiiciently to allow clearance of the hawser or cable to which it is quickly secured and lashed in place.

Other features of the invention will appear as the description proceeds in the following specification, accompanied by the annexed drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of the fiat one-piece rat disk guard device secured to the hawser or cable of the ship.

Fig. 2 is a plan view slightly reduced in scale of 'that shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a plan view similar to Fig. 1, except the semi-disk members are shown opened for the clearance of the hawser or cable to engage the central semi-hole portions where it is to be se- M cured and lashed together as shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a much enlarged sectional view of the telescoping method of securing the split or semicircular members together, taken on line '44 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a similar sectional view taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 shows in perspective of the two semicircular metallic sheet members with their corresponding diametrical transversed edges locked together for shipping purposes.

Referring to the drawing, the numerals l and 2 designate the generally flat semi-circular metallic sheet members, for example, made of galvanized sheet steel, zinc coated or may be of other glassy-like surface material, and are hinged at 3 into the channel portions 4 formed by the plates or sheet metal strips 5 that are secured to the semi-disk member 2 by rivets as at l, or if so desired, may be also secured by welding at 5 in Fig. 4. Each semi-circular members I and 2 are provided with a central semi-opening 8 and 9 so when they are brought together as shown in Fig. 2,.a circular hole is provided to snugly surround tightly the hawser or cable II] that extends from the ship to the dock, or onto the anchorage cable or chain.

In Fig. 4 an enlarged section is shown of the channel portions 4, in which the rectangular plates or strips 5 may or may not be beaded over at H to provide for the channel portions 4, the i opposite edge being beaded over at l2, and the halved disk member 2 may or may not be beaded over at 13. A threaded bolt I5 is secured in the member 2 and extends through the rabbet and channel portion 4 and the rectangular plates or sheet metal strips 5, and is provided with a lock or wing nut I6.

Each of the semi-circular metallic sheet members I and 2 is provided with braces 2| pivotally hinged to bracket members 22 secured by rivets 23 to the strips 24 and the members I and 2. These braces 2| may lie fiat as shown in Fig. 3 when the two semi-circular members I and 2 are partially swung open on the hinged pivot 3 by unlocking the lock or wing-nut IS on the cleat 5, said hinge 3 and lock-nut l6 being as close to the outer periphery edge of each memher I and 2, as may be desired. The periphery edge PE of the semi-disk guard members I and 2 is to be very thin or rounded in any suitable manner, so as not to provide any possibility of a rat getting a foothold thereon and so that even if he jumped on the members he would likely slide off.

The hinged brace members 2| are provided with a looped end 25 forming a hole 26 to slip a lash cord 21 therethrough for securing to the hawser III, in which the braces 2! incline at about a right angle to the cleats 24 secured onto flat semi-circular metallic sheet members I and 2, shown clearly in Figs. 1 and 2. The semi-disk member I is slotted at 30 to engage in cooperation the bolt I5 in the channel portions 4 in order to be adjustable to the size hawser or cable It], varying from 2" to 3" more or less. The diameter of flat-disk rat guard RG shown in Figs. 1 and 2 may also be 24", 30 and 36" more or less.

In Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 the complete device is shown in its attached position on the hawser or cable II), with the braces 2I and cooperating semicircular openings 8 and 9 bearing thereon and secured tightly thereto by the lashing cord 21 tied in any suitable knotted manner, as at 32, or secured as otherwise desired.

It is to be noted clearly in Figs. 1, 4 and 5, that the two halved or semi-disk members I and 2 when interlocked together into the channel portions 4' in a wedging and binding fit provides a reinforcement for the thin diametrically transversed edges 4| and 4', and also form on the underside U the effect of a one-piece disk and rat guard, which ofier no projecting or gripping portions for the rat to get a hold on by his feet, the beaded end I3 of the halved disk member 2 may be fitted almost to a flush connection to the other semi-disk member I.

In shipping the device, each semi-disk member is released by the lock or wing-nut 40 at the hinged portion 3, and slot 30, and each member is placed onto each other with the diametrical transversed edges 4| in alignment therewith, and locked together by the wing-nuts I5 onto the bolts l5 through the holes 40 and slot 30, the lashing rope 21 and braces 2| interposing between the semi-disk member I and 2.

It is to be noted that an extra hole 40 is provided adjacent to the hole 40 in the semi-disk 2, so if it is desired to secure the disk-guard onto a smaller hawser or cable, the halved or semicircular metallic. sheet member I may be hinged in this hole 40.

M It is to be further noted that the fiat semidisk member 2 is slightly in advance of the rectangular plate or metal strip members 5 (see Figs. 3 and 4) so as to insert readily and easily the transverse diametrical edges 4| of the semidisk member I into the channel portions 4', and

also the central semi-openings 8 and 9 are beaded or rounded in any suitable manner, over so as not to cut into the hawser rope or cable l0. Also, if desired, the two rectangular plate or sheet metal strip members 5 may be made in one cross piece and wider with a deeper grooved channel or rabbet portion 4, and provided with a similar central opening corresponding to the semi-opening 8.

It is to be noted that the plates 5 and the cleats 24 are in parallel relation to each other thereby reinforcing that particular portion of each flat semi-circular metallic sheet member, while the pair of braces 2 I, directly opposing each other and at about a right angle to the plates 5 and cleats 24, tend to steady each semi-disk member onto the hawser I0.

Furthermore, the open slot 3!! may be a slotted hole or holes similar to holes 40 and 40 and 4B or other means to lock the two semi-disk guard members I and 2 may be adopted than shown as described, just so a smooth and flat-like one piece rat guard is effected.

It is to be understood I do not confine myself to the exactness of parts as shown and described, and reserve the right to alter any part of the invention, if same comes Within the scope of the appended claim.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is as follows:

A rat guard of the character described comprising a pair of generally fiat semi-circular metallic sheet members having transverse meeting edges, each plate formed to provide a central semi-circular opening therein to engage a cable, plate elements secured on one of said members,

1e elements being positioned on each side of the opening therein and along said transverse edge to provide channel portions for engagement with the transverse edge of the other member, cleat members secured to said plates in spaced relation to said openings and in approximately parallel relation to said edge, brace elements hingedly attached to said cleats to extend diagonally of the plate for attachment with the cable, and clamping means cooperating with the channel portions to bind the transverse edges together about a cable, the brace elements and clamping means adapted to hold the guard in substantially a right angle relation to the cable.

SAM FASSMAN. 

